Charter Schools Best Practices

Music Education

Topics:

Instructional Practices

Mission:

The CLCS will engage all children by using the Learning Through Music Curriculum model to ensure every child's academic, creative, and social success, as validated by qualitative and quantitative measures.

Goals:

1. to discuss elements of music education and how they can be used most effectively to help children learn in all subjects across the curriculum.

Summary:

Learning Through Music Vision Day. Conservatory Lab Charter School has defined the Learning Through Music curriculum model as a key design element of the school. Learning Through Music is based on three guiding principles:
1. The five processes (listening, questioning, creating, performing, and reflecting)originate from the study of music, and serve as essential procedures for teaching and learning in all disciplines;
2. The use of shared fundamental concepts between music and traditional academic disciplines to strengthen learning across the curriculum; and
3. Music is taught as a core academic subject on a daily basis.
Under the leadership of board Chairman Andy Snider, CLCS reached out to experts in the community who could provide expertise and guidance during this important stage in the development of CLCS' Learning Through Music program. On April 30, 2007, CLCS held the first Learning Through Music Vision Day at the Harvard School of Education. Twenty-two people attended, including researchers, educators(music and elementary) and CLCS faculty and board members. Staff and Board from CLCS contacted researchers and educators across the country to invite them to this special event.
The report that resulted from this event captured the ideas and suggestions of the talented educators and researchers who attended, regarding music education, CLCS' Learning Through Music program and arts education in general.